Building a Strategic Plan That Guides Assessment

Abstract

In this article, we make the case that a well-crafted strategic plan can guide the overall assessment of a Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL). A strategic plan enables a center to assess holistically the degree to which it achieves its purpose an aligns with institutional priorities. Adoption of this approach enabled our center to collect assessment evidence that was relevant and meaningful given the center’s purpose, context, and priorities. In this case study, we describe how the Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence, Penn State’s CTL, clarified its vision and mission and used the strategic planning process to transform our daily work as well as the way we assessed and reported our center’s success. The identified strategic goals served to guide the day-to-day work of its educational developers and design programs that moved the center forward.

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